Aalap Raju


Aalaap Raju is a playback singer and a bass player from Chennai, India. His rendition of Enamo Aedho from the movie Ko composed by Harris Jayaraj topped the music charts for several months in 2011 and won him the Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer – 2011. He has sung for music directors like Harris Jayaraj, Thaman, G.V Prakash, Deepak Dev, D.Imman, and Sreekanth Deva. His other noticeable songs include Vaaya moodi summa iru da from Mugamoodi, Engeyum Kadhal from Engeyum Kadhal, Endhan Kann Munnae from Nanban, Kadhal Oru Butterfly and Akila Akila from Oru Kal Oru Kannadi, Anjana Anjana from Vandhan Vendran, Kuthu Kuthu from Ayyanar, Endhuko Yemo from Rangam, Nenjodu Cherthu from Yuvvh, Theeyae Theeyae from Maattrraan, Jal Jal Osai from Manam Kothi Paravai, and Maya Bazaar from Ennai Arindhaal.

Early life

Music was something that was natural to him since he hails from a musical family. His parents, J. M. Raju and Latha Raju, are playback singers in Malayalam while his grandmother, late Smt. Santha P. Nair and grandfather, late K. Padmanabhan Nair were well known names in the Malayalam music industry in 60s and 70s. Though in his school days he wanted to become a professional cricketer and represent India in the International level, his under graduation days at SVCE had other plans for him. His college mates inspired him to take up singing and bass guitar in parallel in his last year. Months of practice made Aalaap a self-taught musician in playing bass guitar and singing, Aalaap's name spread through the most prestigious cultural events in India especially 'Saarang' where he was awarded 'Best Instrumentalist' for his bass playing. And that was the starting point of numerous recording sessions and live performances in India and abroad. His singing took more prominence once Ennamo Yedho and "Engeyum Kadhal' released in 2011, composed by Harris Jayaraj. Aalaap now concentrates on singing and bass playing equally in Studios and Live.

Career

As a singer and bass player, Aalaap has performed with several prominent artists such as Dr. T.V. Gopalakrishnan, Dr. L. Subramaniam, Frank Dubier, etc., and has recorded with noticeable composers such as Ilayaraja, Harris Jayaraj, Mani Sarma, G.V Prakash, Thaman, Deepak Dev etc. He has more than 300 concerts to his credit.
He has been part of the prestigious Europalia Festival '13, as a bass player for Dr. L. Subramaniam covering countries like Italy, Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Russia, Sweden, Latvia and Iceland.
Aalaap is part of a Neo-Carnatic-Funk band called Project YUJ, a four piece line up composed of Electric Mandolin, Electric Bass, Keyboards and Acoustic Drums. Yuj, a Sanskrit word that means to join or to concentrate, is indicative of the group’s manifesto — to bring out and fuse its multitude of influences into a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. The group members’ diverse musical backgrounds and formidable chops allow for flights of improvisational freedom and virtuosity while still maintaining accessibility and musicality. At present, there are not many groups in India that are really trying to improvise and authentically fuse all of these disparate styles while staying true to the vital aspects of each. Project YUJ fills that space!
He has formed a duo multi-genre band called Rahlaap along with playback singer Rahul Nambiar. Rahlaap is out with their maiden self-titled multi-genre album. Available in his website www.rahlaap.com and other music portals like iTunes, Amazon, Hummaa, etc.
His Malayalam song 'Nenjodu Cherthu' for Yuvvh has become an instant hit on YouTube, crossing 1.4 million views in just 4 months of release.

Awards

YearFilmSongLanguageMusic Director
2010Thambikku Indha OoruKoothaadu MachiTamilDharan Kumar
2010Bale PandiyaHappyTamilDevan Ekambaram
2010Manmadhan AmbuDhagudu DhattamTamilDevi Sri Prasad, Dharan Kumar
2010Engeyum KadhalEngeyum KadhalTamilHarris Jayaraj
2010AyyanarKuthu KuthuTamilS. Thaman
2011Thambi KottaiUnakkanka UireyvaithenTamilD. Imman
2011KoEnamo AedhoTamilHarris Jayaraj
2011RangamEndhuko EmoTeluguHarris Jayaraj
2011Vanthaan VendraanAnjana AnjanaTamilS. Thaman
2011Vanthaan VendraanThirandhen ThirandhenTamilS. Thaman
2011Vachadu GelichaduAnjana AnjanaTeluguS. Thaman
2011Vachadu GelichaduIchale IchaleTeluguS. Thaman
2011SoolamSimhanthaniaTeluguBharadwaj
2011NanbanEndhan Kan MunneyTamilHarris Jayaraj
2011KandhireegaNaakoditheyTeluguS. Thaman
2011Mudhal IdamPappara PapparaTamilD. Imman
2011KaanthamTamizhanbanTamilPrathap
2011KattupuliThaamarai PookkaleyTamilVijay Verma
2011BusinessmanKatakulla MumbaiTamilS. Thaman
2011BusinessmanAamchi MumbaiTeluguS. Thaman
2011BusinessmanAaj MumbaiMalayalamS. Thaman
2011BusinessmanSir UnnuMalayalamS. Thaman
2011Music Beyond GenresAankh Mein Aab HaiHindiRahlaap
2011Music Beyond GenresMil Baitaein Hain YaarHindiRahlaap
2012YuvvhNenjodu CherthuMalayalamSreejith S & Sachin
2012SnehithuduToli Adugaina PadaledeTeluguHarris Jayaraj
2012Oru Kal Oru KannadiKaadhal OruTamilHarris Jayaraj
2012Oru Kal Oru KannadiAkila AkilaTamilHarris Jayaraj
2012Ninnu Choosthe Love VasthundiEnnalluganoTeluguHarris Jayaraj
2012Muppozhudhum Un KarpanaigalMazhai PozhiyumTamilG. V. Prakash Kumar
2012Manam Kothi ParavaiJal Jal Jal OosaiTamilD. Imman
2012Thadaiyara ThaakkaKelamalaeTamilS. Thaman
2012SridharSiruvan SirumiyaiTamilRahulraj
2012SridharOh! Oh! My FriendTamilRahulraj
2012OKOKJust LikeTeluguHarris Jayaraj
2012OKOKAkhilaa AkhilaaTeluguHarris Jayaraj
2012OKOKKalalaa Oka DevateTeluguHarris Jayaraj
2012MugamoodiVaayamoodi Summa Iru DaTamilKrishna Kumar
2012MaattrraanTheeyae TheeyaeTamilHarris Jayaraj
2012BrothersNeeve NeeveTeluguHarris Jayaraj
2012101 WeddingsMuthodu MuthamMalayalamDeepak Dev
2012SundattamNaru naru narumugayeTamilBritto
2012"Thadaiyara Thaakka"Kelamale KelamaleTamilS. Thaman
2013Sillunu Oru SandhippuAdi AathiTamilFaizal
2013Pani Vizhum NilavuEnna PannuvaenTamilL V Ganesan
2013ChandamamaYaarodiTamilSrikanth Deva
2013NagarpuramMazhaiyae MazhaiyaeTamilArhul Dhev
2013MachanYenachu YethachuTamilSrikanth Deva
2013Aadalam Boys Chinnatha DancePoradalaam PoradalaamTamilSachin-Jigar
2013BuddyUkuleleMalayalamNavneeth Sundar
2013Endrendrum PunnagaiVaan Engum Nee MinnaTamilHarris Jayaraj
2014Vaayai Moodi PesavumUdaigiraenTamilSean Roldan
2014Samsaaram Aarogyathinu HaanikaramKaana KanneerilaeMalayalamSean Roldan
2014Ennathan PesuvathoAdada AdadaTamilD. Imman
2015Yennai Arindhaal...Maya BazaarTamilHarris Jayaraj
2016VetrivelAdhuva IdhuvaTamilD. Imman